One could say, "Memorial Day and hunting aren’t connected.” That’s not wrong, but it’s also not completely true either. Memorial Day began the last Monday of May in 1866 in Waterloo, NY. Business closed and the day to set aside to decorate the graves of the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. Records show that formerly enslaved people were some of the first organizers of the holiday. The unofficial holiday spread across the nation and was made an official Federal Holiday in 1971.
At the heart of Memorial Day is the formal remembrance of those who give their lives for the freedoms that we hold so dear and sets our great nation apart. The basic freedom that declares “… all men are created equal” and have the right to “…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Without the men and women who gave their lives for these freedoms we would not have the Republic that defends our way of life, and this includes all that is hunting. What does Memorial Day have to do with Hunting; everything - and more!
When you celebrate Memorial Day remember our soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, and let these sacred sacrifices not just be a cause for celebration but a CALL to preserve these freedoms for generations to come.
God Bless you, and God Bless America!
-MIke Austin